Nasal mucociliary clearance in total laryngectomized patients

We measured the nasal mucociliary activity in total laryngectomy patients, and to compare among themselves, smokers, diabetics and normal population besides that to investigate the short and long term effects of total laryngectomy on nasal mucosa. The study includes 39 patients who had total laryngectomy between the January 1998–August 2005 and 36 volunteer healthy individuals. To examine the early and late changes on nasal mucosa the patients that had total laryngectomy separated into two groups as operated before August 2003 (> 2 years), as operated after August 2003 (< 2 years). Moreover diabetic patients and smokers are differently grouped. This study is performed in Haydarpasa Numune Hospital for Research and Education, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, between May 2005–September 2005. Mucociliary clearance measurement is performed by saccharin test for all patients and control group. The mucociliary clearance of the patients (diabetics–nondiabetics, smokers–non smokers) are measured and examined if they show any difference among themselves. For the patients operated between the dates August 2003–2005 (< 2 years group) the nasal mucociliary clearance time average is found 8,15 ± 2.06 min., for the patients operated before August 2003 (> 2 years group) the mean time is found 23.79 ± 5.58 min., for the control group the mean time is found 14.5 ± 3.55 min In operated group the patients who are diabetics has longer mucociliary clearance time than nondiabetics, and the difference is statistically significant. Similarly in control group diabetics has longer mucociliary clearance time than nondiabetics. As another parameter smoking, comparing the groups among themselves, smokers have longer mucocilliary clearance time than nonsmokers. In total laryngectomy patients hypersecratory phase is produced in early period and nasal mucosal clearance is increased. On the other hand, dependent on chronic infections nasal mucosa is atrophied and nasal mucosal clearance is disrupted. However smoking and diabetes mellitus also damage the mucocilliary clearance.